| Name of walk | Yoke, Ill Bell and Froswick from Troutbeck |
| Date of walk | 2013-09-10 |
| Distance walked (miles) | 10 |
| Duration of walk | 7 hours 10 minutes |
| Weather | sunny, but cold and very windy on the tops |
| Peaks on walk | Yoke, Ill Bell, Froswick |
| Walked with | Ged and blind Kas |
| Parking | The road beside the church |
On Tuesday Ged, Kas and I drove to Troutbeck in order to climb Yoke (2316ft), Ill Bell (2483ft) and Froswick (2360ft) via the Garburn Pass, then back down the valley beside Troutbeck Tongue. A walk of 10 miles. I had a pair of new Brasher boots to try out. The combination of stony climb, steep, grassy descent and tarmac lane would be a good test! We set off about ten past nine.
Heading up the Garburn Pass with Yoke, Ill Bell and Froswick in the distance.
Close up view over Troutbeck Tongue to the gap between Stony Cove Pike and Thornthwaite Crag.
The view ahead towards Yoke.
Looking back along the path towards Windermere. As we headed higher it got windier.
It has taken nearly two and a half hours to reach Yoke summit. The three cairns on Ill Bell visible behind.
Looking down on the Kentmere Reservoir. The dip is the Nan Bield Pass. On the left of it is Mardale Ill Bell. On the right is Harter Fell.
View back at Ill Bell's first cairn...
Ged on Ill Bell summit second cairn.
Me. It was very windy! Much too cold to stop here.
View ahead to Froswick from the summit.
View to Froswick from the very windy route down.
Red Screes in the distance.
In the dip between Ill Bell and Froswick we found a place out of the wind for lunch. Out of the wind and in the sunshine it became quite warm. A good view too!
We had been hearing an occasional fox horn for a while. Now we kept meeting Foxhounds as they bounded past us following the scent that had been laid down for them. The Coniston Foxhounds, no doubt. I could not get my camera out quick enough. I did manage to catch a shot of this one, but I was laying down on the grass, so it is not great!
View back to Ill Bell and the valley bellow that would be our route back.
Froswick summit cairn. We met an American woman doing the Kentmere Horseshoe in the reverse direction. She said it was even windier at the Nan Bield Pass!
View down to Kentmere Reservoir.
We head down into the dip where we will take a left at the small cairn and head down the grassy path to the valley below. We had just met the guy with the fox horn. He was rounding up the stray foxhounds that had lost the scent. He had three small terriers with him, the last of which got distracted and was left behind. He was in a bit of a panic, but very friendly. I took him back up the hill and met his returning owner who realised that he was no longer there. The little black dog was smaller than my cats! So cute!
Heading down.
A good view of the valley.
Close up of the Foxhound guy still collecting up the strays!
Almost at the valley floor.
View back along the track. Our grassy descent on the right.
The barn would make a very good cottage.
Full view back with Yoke, Ill Bell and Froswick on the right. We then chatted to two more American walkers from Chicago, they had come over from Ambleside via Wansfell Pike. Apparently Chicago is very flat!
A stile in the middle of nowhere. Ged can't resist going over it.
We join Ings Lane.
Final view back. We avoided the road by taking the footpath and field path which takes you out on to the road just before the caravan park.
We stop off at Jesus Church.
The jewel in its crown is the east window by Edward Burne-Jones, Ford Maddox Brown and William Morris, all members of the Pre-Raphaelite Brotherhood.
The church clock told us that the walk had taken us seven hours and ten minutes, but we had dawdled for most of it, being in no rush, especially once we were in the valley where it was sunny, windless and warm. The new boots were fine! Another good walk with no difficulties apart from the wind!
